The Power of Sports - Building Friendships, Encouraging Respect, Nurturing Excellence

by Keith Low Sheng Hng (Hwa Chong Institution), SG United Journalists' Club

“If only Hitler and Mussolini could have a good game of bowls once a week at Geneva, I feel that Europe would not be as troubled as it is.” – R.G. Briscow

The above quote by Briscow, a British politician of the early 1900s to 1930s, accurately depicts the power of sports, as a stage for bonding, as a platform for understand and as a chance for mutual co-operation. However, one of the most important outcomes of sporting events, albeit not directly, is to nurture communal harmony, within a community, within a nation or within the world.

The Berlin Olympic Games of 1936 was marked by international tensions. World War II would start two years later. Germany reeked of Aryan supremacy, Jews were treated unfairly, the US even wanted to boycott the Olympics. Blacks, such as Jesse Owens, the eventual star of the Berlin Olympics, were also discriminated against. It was an Olympic Games that had manifested anti-Olympic values. No respect was given, friendships were hardly made and sportsmanship was rare.

However, one of the main contenders for long jump, German Luz Long, showed a valuable occurrence of friendship, respect and sportsmanship.

Jesse Owens, having fouled on his first two jumps of his three chances to advance to the finals, was dejected and disappointed. Luz Long, despite knowing that his chances of getting gold would be higher without Owens as a competitor, went forward and advised Owens to jump several inches behind the take-off board. Eventually, Owens managed to successfully proceed to the finals.

In the finals, Owens and Long both managed to break the Olympic records five times in total. They overcame boundaries, displayed sportsmanship and built a friendship, in a time when all these values and virtues were exceptional.

Such international sporting events provided the platform for mutual understanding. Sports had that kind of power, to inspire, to unite and to befriend.

More recently, the World Cup hosted by South Africa is a testimony of the above fact.

South Africa had always been plagued by disharmony, discrimination and disunity. However, the World Cup saw the blacks and the whites cheering for their home country. It saw the apartheid being tore down. And it saw a bright future for South Africa.

But sadly and regrettably, in some sporting events, we see terrorists exploit this unity and this understanding between people. This happens when there is no networks of trust or weak networks amongst people, which in turn creates a soft spot for terrorists to prey on.

In just nearly a few days, Singapore will be hosting the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG).

It will be a test of our systems, a test of our planning, but most importantly, a test of our unity, as One People, One Nation, One Singapore.

Like Prime Minister Lee Hsien Long has said in his National Day Rally, Singaporeans have to display the Singapore spirit, to treat our guests well like we had always done before, to stay alert for terror plots, to not be complacent, to stand strong, to be united, to show the best to others.

Singaporeans must unite. We had always been a target for terrorists. A dense population. A world-class infrastructure and transport hub. A system not yet exploited. A place where fear had not reached.

During the YOG, Singaporeans cannot be unworried. We must stay alert, we must look around, we must report if suspicious. We cannot afford anything to destroy this reputation that we have so fervently built, with so much effort and so much sweat.

Singaporeans must unite, working together and like always, the flame of communal harmony must not simmer, but burn bright and strong.